Athletics beat BeeJays, end six-game league losing streak

The Dodge City Athletics scored seven runs in the first two innings and ended a six-game Jayhawk League losing streak Sunday night with a 12-8 victory over the Liberal BeeJays at Cavalier Field.

It was the third victory in four days over the weekend after winning two of three over the Fort Collins (Colo.) Foxes.

David LaFleur was 3-for-4 with a run and four runs batted in for the Athletics, while Brian Mills was 2-for-5 with two RBI doubles in the victory.

Dodge City (13-19, 6-16) scored three runs in the first inning on a RBI double by Mills and a two-run triple by LaFleur.

The Athletics scored four more runs in the second with former DCHS player Jordan Slaton with an inning-opening home run. Mills followed with his second RBI double and later scored on a passed ball and LaFleur hit a run-scoring single.

Liberal (17-12, 11-12) scored four runs in the next three innings to cut the deficit to 7-4. Tanner Kirk hit a two-run home run in the third, Darien McLemore had a solo home run in the fourth, and Wigbeto Nerarez had a RBI single in the fifth.

Dodge City got back two runs in the bottom of the fifth on one play when LaFleur and Louis Diaz reached base and later converted a double steal. Both runners scored when Sam Pack let a pitch go by him to score LaFleur; and then threw wildly past the pitcher at home plate, allowing Diaz to score.

The Athletics got a run in the bottom of the sixth on a RBI sacrifice fly by LaFleur.

The BeeJays scored four runs in the top of the seventh on a RBI double by Zach Reding, a two-run double by Pack and Pack later scored on a wild pitch.

The Athletics sealed the victory with home runs by Diaz and Brian Mills in the bottom of the seventh.

Hasten Freeman threw two innings of middle relief to earn the victory on the mound for Dodge City, while Austin King was the losing pitcher for Liberal.

The Athletics open a three-game series at Derby starting tonight at 7 p.m., followed by a four-game series in Colorado against Team Colorado.

Athletics win two of three over Fort Collins

The Athletics won two of three games against the Fort Collins (Colo.) Foxes earlier last weekend at Cavalier Field.

It was the first two losses the Foxes have suffered this season after winning their first 20 games. The Athletics beat the Foxes 9-3 in Friday's single game, then split in Saturday's doubleheader (Fort Collins won the first game 8-6 and Dodge City won the nightcap 8-3).

The Athletics scored four runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth in the opener after the Foxes were able to tie the game 3-3 in the top of the seventh.

David LaFleur hit a triple and scored on a passed ball to open the Athletics' scoring in the seventh, Dillon Engelhart followed with a two-run double and Cole Davis scored on an error by Foxes' shortstop Jarrod Flax.

LaFleur opened up the eighth with a home run and Davis later hit a sacrifice fly to score Louis Diaz.

LaFleur finished 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs (including a RBI single in the fifth), while Engelhart was 2-for-4 with three runs batted in with a solo home run in the third. Zach Jacobs also had a RBI single in the third to complete the scoring for Dodge City.

Chad Reiser was the winning pitcher in relief of starting pitcher Ty Thomas. Reiser gave up one run on three hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in three innings of work. Thomas gave up two runs, six hits and two walks while striking out four in his six innings of work.

The Foxes scored seven runs in the top of the first of Saturday's opener with the Athletics trying to play catch-up for the rest of the contest.

Brian Romero hit a solo home run and scored twice in the game for Dodge City, while Cody Voelker had a pinch-hit two-run double. Louis Diaz went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the loss.

Jevin Huval was the losing pitcher, giving up all the runs in the opening inning.

In Saturday's nightcap, T.J. Cox hit a home run and had three RBIs, while Dillon Engelhart knocked in two runs with a home run and Jordan Slaton also brought in two for the win. Louis Diaz scored three times in the game, while Cody Voelker scored twice for the Athletics.

Cody Brown pitched six innings to record the victory for Dodge City. He gave up three runs (two earned), five hits and four walks to go along with six strikeouts.